Hebrews 10:22 - let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
I would like you to imagine this scenario: You borrow a huge sum of money from a friend and promise to pay him back in six months’ time. When the time comes, you feel really bad because you cannot repay him as you don’t have the money. A year rolls by without you repaying a cent. Now, you feel extremely guilty. You try to avoid your friend because you are too embarrassed and ashamed to see him.
Let’s say that your best friend hears about your plight. Out of the goodness of his heart, he goes to your creditor and says, “Look, I understand that my best friend owes you money.”
“Yes, he owes me US$50,000.”
“Here is US$100,000. I am paying you on his behalf.”
Your creditor says, “No, no, no! He owes me only US$50,000.”
Your best friend says, “I know. But take the US$100,000 so that you can never say that he still owes you money.”
Now, your debt has been paid, in fact, more than paid. But if you don’t know or believe this, that debt will still be on your conscience. You will still be afraid to see your creditor. And you will avoid him because he reminds you of your debt.
My friend, you need to know that Jesus was an overpayment when He offered Himself as your sin offering, because of the quality and worth of the Man Himself. My friend, He overpaid for your sins when He became your sacrifice on the cross.
But if you don’t know or believe this, you will suffer as your unbelief will rob you of assurance, joy and peace. You will still have debt on your conscience. Even though God is not imputing sin to you (Romans 4:8), sin is still on your conscience. And as long as sin is on your conscience, you won’t dare to draw near to Him.
Beloved, the truth is that your sins have been more than paid for. Jesus was an overpayment. So draw near to God today with no sin on your conscience
IT’S YOUR TIME
The vision is yet for an appointed time... - Habakkuk 2:3, NKJV
God has planted seeds of greatness on the inside of you, and He has predestined that those things in your heart come to pass. You may have had more than your share of unfair things happen in your life. You probably have plenty of reasons to just settle where you are. But understand, the depth of your past is an indication of the height of your future.
If you’ve been through a lot of negative things in the past, it just means that your future is bigger and brighter and greater than you can even imagine. It’s your time to step out and embrace all that God has for you! Are there dreams and promises that you’ve let go of? Are there things that God has placed in your heart, but because of time, because of disappointments, you’ve given up on them?
Today is the day to give your dreams a new beginning. Today is the day to allow faith to rise in your heart. Remember, what’s happened to you is not nearly as important as what’s happened in you, and you are stronger and wiser than ever before. It’s your time; it’s your season to move forward into the destiny that God has prepared for you!
THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD (1)
The law of the Lord is perfect...' Psalm 19:7 NKJV
Of all the words ever spoken, only ‘…the Word of God is alive and powerful.’ (Hebrews 4:12 NLT) So when you read your Bible, you tap into a life–changing force. Let’s look at some of the wonderful characteristics and effects attributed to God’s Word in Psalm 19.
(1) ‘The law of the Lord is perfect…’ To understand the word ‘law’, think of governing forces by which things like gravity, aerodynamics and physics work. When you deny or defy these laws you suffer; when you operate according to them you succeed, but either way they are always in force! So is God’s Word. It cannot be improved upon, added to, or taken from. It is adequate and able to accomplish His purposes in your life. Additionally, it ‘refreshes the soul’! Why wouldn’t you embrace it?
(2) ‘The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy…’ (Psalm 19:7 NIV) You can count on the reliability and accuracy of God’s Word in every circumstance of life. In a world of changing values, conditions and relationships, you can place your full weight on the Scriptures, confident they will hold up—and hold you up, too! Furthermore, it will ‘make wise the simple’—the ignorant and immature. It will produce in you wisdom far beyond what’s available through study and education.
(3) ‘The precepts of the Lord are right…’ (Psalm 19:8 NIV) God’s precepts are accurate, correct and virtuous, and we are called to ‘…add to [our] faith virtue…’ (2 Peter 1:5 NKJV) or moral excellence. This cannot be accomplished through will–power, but through God’s supernatural Word–power.
THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD (2)
The commandments of the Lord are right.... - Psalm 19:8 NIV
Observe:
(1) ‘The commandments of the Lord are right…’ When people like Plato and Shakespeare speak, the effect of their words on us depends on what we bring to the process. Some of us may be informed and entertained, while others may be indifferent or bored. Their words could be described as intrinsically neutral but this is not so with God’s words: they radiate! Like heat and light, they are sources of spiritual energy. They possess a dynamic power that produces change wherever it goes. Likewise, God’s Word is dynamic. It radiates transforming power that changes anyone who lives in its ‘environment’!
(2) ‘…The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy…’ (Psalm 19:9 NET) The Hebrew word for ‘trustworthy’ comes from ‘certainty, honesty and faithfulness’. With absolute confidence, you can stake your all on the reliability of God’s Word. It guarantees you that God says what He means, and means what He says. You can stand secure on every syllable of it. In other words, you can ‘…live…by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4 NKJV)
(3) ‘By your teachings, Lord, I am warned; by obeying them, I am greatly rewarded.’ (Psalm 19:11 CEV) God’s Word is more than just a list of ‘dos and don’ts. It’s like radar that signals to you when you’re in danger of straying off course and getting into trouble. Your conscience alone is inadequate. ‘How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults…Don’t let them control me.’ (Psalm 19:12–13 NLT) By obeying God’s Word, you will be ‘greatly rewarded’!
AN EXCHANGE
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. —Psalm 32:5
Jen sat on her patio pondering a scary question: Should she write a book? She had enjoyed writing a blog and speaking in public but felt God might want her to do more. “I asked God if He wanted me to do this,” she said. She talked with Him and asked for His leading.
She began to wonder if God wanted her to write about her husband’s pornography addiction and how God was working in his life and their marriage. But then she thought that it might publicly disrespect him. So she prayed, “What if we wrote it together?” and she asked her husband Craig. He agreed.
While he didn’t say what sin he committed, King David engaged in a public conversation about his struggles. He even put them into song. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away,” he wrote (Ps. 32:3 niv). So he said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” (v. 5). Not everyone should go public with their private battles. But when David confessed his sin, he found peace and healing that inspired him to worship God.
Craig and Jen say that the process of writing their deeply personal story has brought them closer than ever. How like God, who loves to exchange our guilt, shame, and isolation for His forgiveness, courage, and community!
Do you need to make an exchange with God of guilt for forgiveness? He is listening.
God forgives those who confess their guilt.
NO DENIAL OF DEITY ...
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? - John 10:30-39
Some people have tried to interpret this scripture to say that Jesus was disclaiming deity by associating Himself with the gods spoken of in Psalm 82:6. However, Jesus is not saying that He is a god only in the sense that the scriptures, spoke of men with divine authority as gods (Ex. 4:16; 7:1; 22:28; Ps. 82:1). In the verses before this, Jesus proclaimed His oneness with the Father and in His statements after this, He says that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father, making clear His claim to deity. Also, the Jews were not pacified by His answer, but they tried again to stone Him. If they would have understood His statements to mean that He was not proclaiming His deity, they would have left Him alone.
The comparison that Jesus is making is between the scriptures clearly stating that the Christ was God (Isa. 9:6) and the scriptures saying that rulers were gods (this refers to having divine authority - not deity). Jesus accepted their position and authority, because of the infallibility of the scriptures, and they should have done the same with Him. The scriptures prophesied His coming and the works that He would accomplish; and He fulfilled these prophecies as no one else could. His works proved He was the Messiah prophesied through scripture.
Jesus had already manifested supernatural power by His ability to walk through the midst of those who were trying to kill him and He eventually does the same thing here. But first, He refers back to Psalm 82:6. In this passage, God was speaking to the rulers of His covenant people, the Jews, and He called them gods. Jesus was saying, "If those in authority were called gods, how can you fault me for claiming to be the Son of God when I have fulfilled so many scriptures?"
INCREASE MORE
There is one who scatters, yet increase more... - Proverbs 11:24, NKJV
In the book of Genesis, God set up a system of seedtime and harvest. Everything God does starts with a seed. The Bible also tells us that He gives seed to the sower. In other words, if you are a person who has a desire to bless others and sow seed, God will make sure you have plenty to give.
Notice what happens when you generously sow seed—you increase more! Just like planting a seed in the natural brings an abundant harvest, planting a spiritual seed brings an abundant harvest as well. You can’t outgive God. He will pour out blessings on you that you cannot even contain.
God’s blessings go way beyond just the financial realm. He wants you to have blessed relationships, good health and a happy career. Take a step of faith today and look for ways to start sowing. What do you have in your hand? Can you start by giving a smile and sowing joy? Can you help someone else at the gas pump? Choose to be a blessing because God promises to bless and increase you in every area of your life.
FLOW WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY
Romans 14:17 - …the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
If we are supposed to seek first the kingdom of God every day (Matthew 6:33), then we should know what the kingdom of God is in the first place. I used to think that the kingdom of God was the mission fields and that to seek it meant doing missionary work.
Then, I realized that the kingdom of God was not something outside you flowing in—“the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking”, but something inside you flowing out—“righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.
So to seek first God’s kingdom means to make it a priority every day to have your inner man flowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Righteousness is not your own righteousness based on what you do. It is not good works. It is a gift from Jesus who is your righteousness. (Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30) God wants you to be established in the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“Peace be with you” were the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples when He appeared before them after His resurrection. He also showed them His pierced hands and side. (John 20:19–20) God wants you to know that His Son’s finished work has given you peace. Your conscience can be at rest because your sin debt has been settled. You have peace with God and the peace of God.
Joy will come into your heart when you see Jesus in the scriptures, worship songs or anointed preaching. It is the same joy from the Holy Spirit which filled the disciples’ hearts when they saw Jesus, His hands and His side. (John 20:20)
So every day, make it a priority to see yourself righteous in Christ. Don’t be conscious of your sins. Instead, be conscious of your righteousness. And whether you are reading your Bible or listening to anointed preaching, see Jesus with His pierced hands and side, which speak of His finished work. See all your sins forgiven, and you will flow with peace and joy. When you do this, you are seeking the kingdom of God!
Thought For The Day :
To seek God’s kingdom is to have your inner man flowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
BE NEAR
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart. —Psalm 34:18
My friend was going through some difficult challenges in her life and family. I didn’t know what to say or do, and I told her so. She looked at me and said, “Just be near.” That’s what I did, and later on we started talking about God’s love.
Many times we don’t know how to respond when others are grieving, and words may do more harm than good. Serving others requires that we understand them and find out what they need. Often we can help by meeting practical needs. But one of the best ways to encourage those who are suffering is to be near—to sit beside them and listen.
God is near to us when we call out to Him. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles,” the psalmist says. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:17-18).
By putting ourselves in the shoes of others and allowing our hearts to feel compassion, we can help those who are hurting. We can be near them as God is with us and sit close to them. At the right time, the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say, if they are needed.
Who needs my help or for me to sit alongside them this week?
The best way to encourage others may be to just be near
And remember faith is something to be used to produce profitable results for all and not just admired on Sunday
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